Just Another Manic Monday

I wish it were a Sunday.

The day started off with a bang, and the madness continued all day.  A rushed Monday am, not too unusual.  Traffic, of course, and not enough sleep.  But much to my surprise when I got to work to put on my heels to find two different shoes!  Not even close in style or height.  Pretty awesome, Andrea.

Arrive at work with a semi-large problem to troubleshoot (besides the shoes).  Then I walk to a customer and in the elevator this Asian man starts speaking what I think was Chinese to me, clearly thinking I must know it.  It's comical really, I can't make this stuff up.  After I try to help identify the suite he needs to go to and can't, I apologize and say I don't know where you need to go.  I get off at my floor and he follows me to reception in administration.  I feel bad for pawning him off to the receptionist, but didn't know what to do!  Sorry cousin, couldn't help ya.  The rest of the day included running around and being sweaty because it was hot as balls to arrive at the pool and wait 25 minutes to get into the water. 

Got in most of my 2400 yd swim (thank you water aerobics and waiting forever on the deck), and a very sweaty 30 min easy run.  Was starving after, but felt good.  Starting this week off on the right foot, literally and figuratively:

Week of 4/2-4/8

Monday: 2400 Swim, 30 min aerobic run
Tuesday: 90 min Bike, strength training
Wednesday: Interval Run Workout (5x4 min at 5K pace)
Thursday: 2400 Swim, 60 min Ride
Friday: Strength Training
Saturday: 10-mi Run (build)
Sunday: 62-mi Ride (Girls With Gears)

Had a great ride yesterday, 50 miles/20 min run.  Add that with a crazy hockey game, pigging out and a mani/pedi and a pretty good Sun.  Felt strong, and got to ride with a wonderful group!  Sat's run was not as great, but I survived.  I should've known better than to tempt the heat I'm not used to.  But got to see some friends on the run so that helped make a bad run more bearable.  I like being social on my long workouts :) 

Shins/calves have been tight so starting to ice and stetch better, and need to make foam rolling and using the bands/tennis ball a priority.  Along with playing around with better nutrition, I dabble currently.  In the words of Allison Hamer, treat your body like glass.  I need to be more mindful of my body and giving it some TLC and rest. 

Sh*t happens and everyday won't be unicorns and rainbows, but regrouping at the end of a less than perfect day with some quality workouts is always a good thing. 

My body is sleepy

Security deposit on the new place...SENT and RECEIVED!  Bear Lodge here we come: http://www.vrbo.com/250248.  Half a mile from Main St and another half mile to the beach, and apparently a quarter mile from the run and bike courses.  Sorry to hear of the athlete injury that resulted in this place becoming open.  But I see this as an opportunity that was meant to be for me in some way.  Now that I have my security deposit back from the original person, I'm debating what to write...it won't be all puppies and kittens.

Last weekend was full of good workouts, and a beautiful Easter Sunday.  Did the long run on Fri, not an easy thing on Fri afternoon.  But got through the 14 much easier than the weekend prior, and felt pretty good.  Nice surprise.  Had a good 50 miles of cycling with Doreen and Jen on Sat.  Hills were still tough on the Limerick loop, but we tackled them together and felt pretty decent. 

Week of 4/2-4/8

Monday: 2300 Swim, 30 min easy run
Tuesday: Bike, strength training
Wednesday: Interval Run Workout (4x7 min at 7:00 pace - this was the really bad workout)
Thursday: (This was the day I listened to my body, and skipped my swim/easy bike)
Friday: Strength Training
Saturday: 14-mi Run
Sunday: 50-mi Ride


Sat reminded me that I have some pretty awesome people in my life, that I've met through my love of endurance sports and TNT.  Some people think of hte distances as punishment (sometimes they may feel that way).  But I feel like those long workouts are my time to de-stress, to have my own kind of therapy and spend some QT with some of my favorite people.  So thanks for that. 

Easter weekend was a fun one with my sister in Princeton.  Enjoyed some sun on Sun, and napped in the grass while the kids played catch ;) 

This week has been interesting.  Tried to plan for some things other than training, and that backfired with last minute changes.  Workouts got completely juggled to different days, and my body feels good but I feel generally tired - and have all week.  Weird week.  Note what was scheduled and what I actually have done:

Week of 4/9-4/15

Monday: 2200 Swim scheduled - actually biked 60 minutes
Tuesday: Bike, strength training - actually swam my 2200
Wednesday: Interval Run Workout (4x7 min at 7:00 pace) - actually biked 60
Thursday: 2100 swim, 60 minute bike - actually did interval run (much better, but not fantastic)
Friday: Strength Training - will strength train and swim
Saturday: 12-mi Run
Sunday: 50-mi Ride/20-min Run

Chalking it up to life getting in the way.  It happens.  Planning to wrap up the week with solid long workouts (Thank God for a down run week!), including a transition workout.  Will start Monday fresh, on the right foot again. 

Every night I feel wiped this week, I think it's work.  Wait, I know it is.  My body doesn't hurt like it has other weeks, just tired and sleepy.  Will attempt to remedy this over the weekend with extra sleep. 

Tonight had a decent run workout, and sweat more salt out than I feel normal for this time of year.  But felt good.  Now I will watch the Phils, snuggle and have a brewski to cap off the day :)  Happy Friday tomorrow.

Hello Andrea, Please Don't Panic

Not the best way to start an email to me...but this was how the one from the owner of the house I rented for the race began...apparently "an unexpected situation has come up and they unfortunately are not going to be able to rent their home this summer."  Translation: I am not renting you our house that you put a deposit on months ago, and you now must find other lodging for your Ironman.

I started to write a great blog post this week about how pretty great my long trainings were, and the week started off to be.  Then yesterday happened, a bad run workout (really bad).  Combine that with a long work week, my lady time coming (aka Bob), and feeling pretty tired...to top it off with this email, and the week went from good to not so hot. 

So for my 2 hour workout tonight, I spent more than 2 hours researching new houses.  My legs were fatigued and sore, and I sat in so much traffic I missed my pool window anyways.  So seeing the email right before I started driving was fantastic.  Doreen, told you I couldn't sit on this!

This week I think is just a reflection of working hard, and being tired because of it.  It feels good to know I'm not the only one feeling it.  Two long workouts last weekend without a rest day after has caught up, and that is bound to happen sometimes.  We rode a real tough 52-miles on Sunday that wiped me, but was a great ride.  Put it into perspective, Andrea.  Everyone has bad training days, yours just feel more frequent sometimes.  People don't always post about the bad ones on Facebook. 

An Italian told me recently, working out for at least 1.5 hours a day is bound to catch up and not every workout is going to be great as a result.  Also that I need to take a day.  A lean, mean, triathlon machine said it's better to listen to your body and take a day when you need it.  That's no new advice, sometimes this stubborn-ass just needs to be reminded of that.  I know my Coach would agree. 

Tough training days aren't fun, but are normal. 

The silver lining in all of this is I have talked to some really nice people in the Lake Placid area - Erica Jane, this reinforces the magical nature of this place.  Two people had their properties rented, and referred me to neighbors (who unfortunately have their places also rented).  One of those kind souls talked to me for 10 minutes, and said if he can help to call (he also told me he can get good golf deals for the golf enthusiasts in my support crew).  Problem isn't solved, but sent lots of emails and hope to hear from some people in the coming days.  Lesson learned: some people really are good people, and Lake Placid is wonderful. 

So after taking a night off and problem-solving, I feel much better now.  Hoping for a good workout tomorrow and Sat, and to take a rest day for Easter. 

Thank you, Lake Placid.

Thanks Caballo Blanco, You Will Be Remembered

http://rwdaily.runnersworld.com/2012/04/a-lesson-from-micah-true.html

A friend shared this on Facebook, and it hit close to home.  Micah True, aka Caballo Blanco, became a legend as an amazing marathoner who tapped into the Tarahumara Indians.  Christopher McDougall made him famous to the world when he wrote about him in Born To Run, a great book. 

Micah True was found dead on Sunday, in the Gila wilderness alone after he went out on a run.  No signs of injury or trauma.  It is sad for the running world to lose him, and he will be missed but always be remembered.  And he's one of the few people who passed away absolutely doing something he loved.  Would be the best way to go.

The article above is short, but made me think.  Micah True went for a run, and never returned.  The RW writer made the point this could happen to any of us.  Many times I've thought I could get injured in a race...but could also during training.  I've had friends get hit by cars running and cycling, or collisions with other athletes and other accidents.  You never know. 

I don't always think before I go out to run or ride, about anything really except getting my workout in or what I have to do after.  But I think I'll make it a point to not just say bye when I leave, but maybe more I love you's now.  A good way to leave the house and nice to know I can tell Mike that and leave on a good note.  Always good to remind those you love them that you do, and a great way to start a workout.  You never know what the future could bring. 

Massage, yes please!

Week of 3/26-4/1

Monday: 2400 Swim, Body Pump class
Tuesday: Interval Run Workout (4x5 min at 7:20 pace)
Wednesday: Yoga, Interval Bike Workout (trainer this day)
Thursday: 2200 Swim, 30 Run
Friday: Strength Training
Saturday: 14-mi Run
Sunday: 50-mi Ride

It's Thursday, and I am sleepy.  The week has been a good one, training-wise, so far!  Monday Ashley talked me into swimming later (around the freaking aqua joggers who monopolize the poool at prime time from 5-6 pm Mon, Wed, Thurs) and going to a Body Pump class.  Well, it was hilarious and interesting.  Here is what our instructor looked like:


Cool Runnings, a lovely movie about the Jamaican bobsled team (for anyone who is not familiar with it).  The instructor looked like Derise (second from left).

He wore a tight blue Under Armour shirt, black spandex, white aerobics instructor tube socks, and white sneakers.  I felt like I was in an aerobics class at first.  Luckily, it ended up being ok once we got into the weights.  And surprisenly, I survived the swim after.  Was afraid my arms might be shot, but we did ok and were just starving.  Glad I shared half a gel with Ash ;)
 Tuesday was slightly afraid of my run workout...because it was hard as hell the week before.  So I tried to pump myself up for this week's, but totally surprised myself and ROCKED my workout!  Felt a million times better and ran it faster than last week.  Was a great feeling!  Still sore though ha. 

Wednesday was all set to do a trainer workout in the am because I couldn't ride after work.  Was ready to set up, and discovered a completely flat front tire!  I have watched so many flat changes and had many myself...BUT have always had someone there to help and do it much faster than I could (thank you Kevin Meehan :)).  Refreshed with a video and Mike said he'd help later.  Didn't feel like waiting and need to learn so did it myself!  Hopefully I didn't pinch the tube, was fine for the trainer but we'll see this weekend on the road. Note to self: need more spare tubes.  Workout itself was decent too, just late at 8 pm.  Since I was up in the am, I did some yoga.

This morning got up early to get my run in.  Love the warmer weather, but it is still pitch black out.  Woke up a little later than planned...so my 45 min scheduled run was cut to more of a 30 because I had to get to work.  Relaxed pace to stetch out.  Pool workout later AND a much needed massage I've been fantasizing about for 3 weeks!

All in all, a pretty good training week.  Some strength training tomorrow and off from anything else.  Need to ice because my shins were sore this am.  Need to start focusing on stretching, foam rolling and icing more now with mileage increasing. 

Getting pretty much all my workouts in is a small victory for weekdays, with a changing schedule and fitting in other things like tune ups, doc/maintance appts, etc.  Not to mention later work meetings, and other personal commitments.  Oh and just because I live with him, doesn't mean I see much of Mike.  Opposing schedules gives us about an hour to eat a late dinner and me to fall alseep on the couch most nights.  But that's ok, that's what weekends are for (barcade, um yes!).

Nice to have solid trainings, makes me see my improvements and increasing strength...because a lot of days I don't feel it.  Weight hasn't changed much, but the best compliment I've got was that I look a lot different from a couple months ago (thank YOU, Barb!).  Hard to always measure yourself. 

Hoping for a good weekend to follow.

Memorable Cool Runnings quotes for anyone besides me and my sister who might appreciate them:

Derise: "Cool Runnings" means "Peace Be The Journey."

Junior: "I see PRIDE, I see POWER, I see a bad-ass mother who won't take no CRAP off of NObody!"

Sanka: "Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme! Get on up, its bobsled time! COOL RUNNINGS!"

17 hours...usually how long I'm awake in one day. Not on July 22, 2012.

I WILL become an Ironman.  It's not an if, I believe it.

So here I am...blogging?  Never thought I'd see the day, but thanks to some nudging from a couple good friends (gracias) I decided after thinking it over for awhile to just do it.  It's a good way to not only share my training experiences, but also have something to help remember my crazy thoughts later. 

For anyone who didn't know, I felt ambitious last July after completing my first Half Ironman (HIM) race and decided to go for it.  My "pit crew" aka Mike, Erica and Amanda helped me register for the Lake Placid Ironman.  After mentally deciding to bite the bullet, I realized I had an all day all staff meeting the day of registration (reg has traditionally sold out in hours and sometimes you haven't even been able to get in online if you didn't volunteer the previous year).  Luckily, I have some pretty awesome people who were happy to help.  And they knew before I that Lake Placid was in my future...and there was not a more exciting feeling than reading their texts and emails confirming I got in. 

And I haven't looked back since, honestly.  I've thought "dude, this is kinda nuts" but have never questioned why I decided to go for it or had any sort of regret.  After finishing my HIM, with the help of my awesome training partner, Doreen, I decided to join her in this amazing journey.  She had decided it was a goal for her in 2012, and it didn't take much coercing to get me on board.  It all ties back to a younger version on my self and some goals I wanted to accomplish.  I remember being a sophomore at The U (for all the non-NEPA or Northeast PA peeps, this stands for the great University of Scranton) in my Ethics class.  I had an absolutely crazy prof, no joke.  But he tasked us to write life goals to accomplish by age 30.  A look into what you want your future to be activity.  Dag, I didn't know 30 would so rapidly approach.  One of my goals at the time was to run a marathon.  Seemed totally reasonable being a collegiate XC runner.  This became less of a goal in the recent years, due to catching the triathlon bug (the budding cyclist and Scranton 1-mile swim proud t-shirt wearer in me took over).  Well, I guess I will accomplish my marathon goal by 30 after all...by running one at the end of my IM :)  Full circle.  It's nice to know some of those goals will be achieved. 

Taking Care of Business...this has become an important saying to me.  Four years ago I signed up for my first tri ever, Memphis In May with Team In Training.  Had been itching to get into tri's for awhile, but never got the nerve to master swimming until I started working for TNT.  Signed up as a tribute to Aunt Stella and all of my family and friends who have battled cancer.  Trained hard and focused on doing this for those who can't.  Ended up going on an amazaing trip, a blast of a weekend with some pretty amazing people (in true TNT fashion).  In Memphis, we naturally went to Graceland and saw the TCB logo plastered everywhere all over everything Elvis.  It became our crew's thing, our mantra that weekend if you will.  "TCB BABY!," we said it all the time and plastered it on our tri outfits as motivation.  It was great.  It has stayed with me ever since then.  I have it on my Road ID and put it on my rack for Musselman (picture in title of my blog), my HIM, last summer. 

The business that I now take care of.  Triathlon is something that has become a huge passion in my life, endurance sports are something I love.  From running to tri's, I've always had a special place in my heart for endurance (well, not in grade school when I told me Dad 400 meters was long and I opted for chasing ice cream trucks with Shauna).  So to me, undertaking an IM made a lot of sense.  After Memphis, I knew I wanted to go for it all, just didn't know when it would happen.  This seemed like the perfect time.  It may seem crazy or illogical to some, but seems like the natural thing to do to me. 

I officially committed in July, started training in Nov/Dec, and have been fully into the swing of training for the past months.  It's not always easy, there are many bad training days.  I try to fit workouts in on busy days when there is no time.  I'd tired a lot, and the long workouts are every weekend.  I fall asleep even earlier than Josh ;), and on my neighbors papasan while they play Super Mario 2 with Mike at 10 pm on a Sat.  But I have purpose, to fulfil this lofty goal.  I don't question will I do it...that's not me being cocky, I just fully trust my coach (Todd P Wiley), my plan, my desire to be an Ironman, and my ability to finish the race.  Anything can happen, I could get injured at any time, but I'm trusting that I will remain healthy. 

My boo (Mike) recently told me that he thinks this will change me, and I will be a better person for it :).  I don't doubt it, it already has started to.  Everyone I've talked to who has completed an Ironman says it's one of the greatest experiences of their lives.  I can't wait for that feeling of accomplishment.  I crave it.  I guess that's why the sport is like a drug, it's addicting.  Aside from alcohol, triathlon and endurance sports are definitely my drug of choice. 

Post Musselman, on my endorphin high and trying to celebrate with a cold one as Erica placed everything around me on me.

Finishing the Musselman HIM was pretty great.  After I cried and the feeling of having to vomit passed and my stomach settled (maybe 15-30 minutes later), I feld tremendous.  When I think about that, I can only imagine how I'll feel after 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling, and 26.2 miles of what no doubt will be an agonizing run.  I might collapse, well out of exhaustion but also out of joy of accomplishing it all.  Tears will undoubtedly be flowing.  I can't wait to bask in the glory of the experience, to challenge myself in a way I can only imagine.  And to celebrate the victory of it all with people I love, some of which I will luckily have there with me. 

So far since Dec, I've not said "no" to much since I started training, but somethings gotta give now.  In the next 4 months, I'll have to turn down some HH's, nights out, etc.  Not all, but definitely more than I'd like.  Sorry kids, small price to pay.  Even if you don't get it, I hope my friends can try to understand my priorites.  Maybe I'll even swear off drinking for a month (crazy).  But it will all be worth it to me, to achieve greatness.  The Ironman will be and has been the hardest test of my personal strength, mentally and physically.  I gotta keep Taking Care of Business, and see what kind of person I become. 

Here's to bettering me.